The present invention relates to methods and devices which provide transporting of an object with a flow of a carrying medium. It encompasses a broad class of various systems which are used, for example: in industry; in energy-related systems; in pipelines, ground, air, abovewater, underwater, and other types of transportation; in medical and household technique; in converting and special technique; in special destructive and explosive technique; in research devices and systems; in physiological systems and in other areas. In the present time the broad class of such systems under consideration represents one of important developing areas in the world, characterized with significant energy consumption.
Various methods and devices are known, which provide transporting of objects with a flow of a carrying medium. A common traditional methodological approach which is used in various systems in the above mentioned class is application of an action to the above mentioned carrying medium from an action means which creates during the process of conversion of the energy supplied to it, and integrally constant in time action so that the above mentioned flow of the carrying medium created in this way acts on the above mentioned object for providing the process of its transporting in a given direction. This approach is realized in various systems which use mainly two types of means for action: means of pressure drop (pumps; screw, turbine, turbo reactive and reactive systems; explosive devices of pumping or vacuum action; means of action which use a forced aerodynamic or hydrodynamic interaction of the object or its structural part, correspondingly with gaseous or liquid medium, for example a region of an outer surface of a casing of a flying, speedy ground or underwater moving apparatus, etc.), and means for direct energy action (magnetohydrodynamic pumps; magnetic and electromagnetic acceleration systems, etc.). The object can be structurally not connected or structurally connected (for example in a flying apparatus) with the action means. In some cases the object, being a flowable medium, performs a function of the carrying medium (for example gas or liquid product such as oil transported in a pipeline). In various known action means, energy which is supplied to them and is converted in them can be of various types, such as for example: electrical, electromagnetic, magnetic, mechanical, thermal energy; energy generated for example as a result of performing correspondingly: a chemical reaction, a nuclear reaction, a laser action, etc., or for example energy generated during operation of a physiological system; or generated during a forced aerodynamic interaction of an object with a gaseous medium or during a forced hydrodynamic interaction of an object with a liquid medium. In some known action means, as the supplied energy a combination of several different types of supplied energy is utilized (for example, a combination of magnetic and electrical energy as in a magnetohydrodynamic pump). As the carrying medium, mainly a flowing (gaseous or liquid) medium is utilized. The object of transportation can be for example: powder or granular material; gaseous or liquid medium; excavated product (coal, ore, oil, gas, gravel, etc.); a mixture of materials and media; a component or refuse of manufacturing process; fast movable or immovable objects; physiological or physical substance; and many others.
Common disadvantages of the known traditional methodological approach which is realized in such systems for providing a process of transporting an object with a flow of a carrying medium are as follows:
limited possibilities for reduction of specific consumption of energy for providing the process of transporting of the objects;
impossibility of performing efficient dynamic control of the process of transporting, with the purpose of optimization of its energy characteristics;
presence of negative side effects which accompany work of some of such systems and significantly worsen their operational and energy characteristics (for example xe2x80x9cstickingxe2x80x9d during suction; adhesion of particles on inner walls or clogging of a portion of a channel which limits the transported flow; a fast clogging of filtering devices which operate in a multi-phase flow; and so on).
The above listed disadvantages significantly reduce energy, and therefore also economical efficiency of application of such traditional systems for providing the process of transporting an object unit by a flow of a carrying medium.
Other methods and devices for such transporting of an object with a flow of a carrying medium are known, as disclosed for example in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,201,877 (1993); 5,593,252 (1997); and 5,865,568 (1999)-A. Relin, et al. The above mentioned methods and devices realize a methodological approach which was first proposed by Dr. A. Relin in 1990 and utilizes a modulation of the suction force, performed outside of the action means by connection of an inner cavity of the suction area of the transporting line with atmosphere through a throughgoing passage and simultaneous periodic change of an area and shape of the throughgoing passage during transporting of the object. The use of this approach, which realizes the xe2x80x9cprinciple of controlled exterior dynamic shuntingxe2x80x9d of the suction portion proposed by the author opens qualitatively new possibilities for significant increase of efficiency of operation and exploitation of a certain class of devices and systems for suction transporting of various objects. In particular, the use of modulation of the suction force over a limited suction portion of movement of the flow in a closed passage, for example in vacuum cleaning systems, in various medical suction instruments, and also in pneumotransporting systems of various materials and objects allows to minimize and even completely eliminate the above mentioned common disadvantages which are inherent to known traditional approach realized in the known systems of this type.
However, the necessity and possibility of performing the connection of the interior cavity of only the suction portion of the transporting line (outside of the above mentioned action means) with the atmosphere through the throughgoing passage does not allow to use this principle of modulation in a sufficiently broad class of other types of known devices and systems which can provide a process of transporting an object with the flow of carrying medium:
which do not allow a contact with atmospheric medium of the object transported in the closed passage, for example various gasses, chemical and physiological materials and media;
which do not allow an entraining of atmospheric medium (for example air) into the hydrotransporting system which can lead to cavitation effects are damaging for the pipeline and the hydraulic pump, and also to energy losses in the process of transporting an object with a flow of a carrying medium;
which do not allow a possibility of performing the connection of the inner cavity of the pumping line of transportation with atmosphere through the throughgoing passage, causing expelling of the transporting medium into atmosphere;
which provide identical speed characteristics over the whole extension of the movable flow: both at its suction portion and its pumping portion;
which do not allow a possibility of realization of such approach due to absence of a closed long suction portion of the passage during the use of various types of above mentioned action means on the carrying medium with a pressure drop, for example: connected with the object of transportingxe2x80x94screw, turbine, turbo reactive and reactive systems; various explosive devices; action means which use forced aerodynamic and hydrodynamic action of the object, correspondingly, with gaseous and liquid medium; and other similar types of action means;
which do not provide a pressure drop with the action means used in them, realizing other principles of performing of the above mentioned action, for example during the use of the above mentioned means of direct energy action.
In addition, during the development of the construction of the modulator which realizes the above mentioned xe2x80x9cprinciple of controlled exterior dynamic shuntingxe2x80x9d of the suction portion it is necessary to solve additional problems, for example: connected with a reduction of the level of additional noise effect caused during a periodic connection of the atmospheric medium with the internal cavity of the suction portion of the transporting line; and also effects connected with protection of the throughgoing passage of connection of the modulator from possible sucking into it of various components of an exterior medium or foreign objects.
The attempts to take into consideration these factors in such cases additionally complicates and makes more expensive the construction and the operation of the modulator.
The above explained disadvantages significantly limit the possibilities during solution of real problems connected with energy optimization of processes of transporting of an object with a flow of a carrying medium, and also areas of application of the above analyzed efficient methodological approach which use the modulation of the suction force over the suction portion, performed with the use of the above mentioned xe2x80x9cPrinciple of controlled exterior dynamic shuntingxe2x80x9d.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method of dynamic transporting of an object with a flow of a carrying medium which is in principle new.
The proposed method (which is named by the inventor R-method) is based on works of Dr. A. Relin and confirmed by scientific research of concepts of a new theory xe2x80x9cModulating aero- and hydrodynamics of processes of transporting objects with a flow of a carrying mediumxe2x80x9d. This scientific concepts consider new laws which are developed by the author and connected with a significant reduction of a complex of various known components of energy losses (and therefore of specific consumption of energy) during creation of a dynamically controlled process of movement of the flow of a carrying medium with a given dynamic periodically changing sign-alternating acceleration during the process of transporting of the above mentioned object.
The proposed method minimizes or completely eliminates the above mentioned disadvantages in providing an efficient process of transporting of an object with a flow of a carrying medium which are inherent to the known traditional methodological approach and the above mentioned second approach which uses the modulation of suction force based on the xe2x80x9cPrinciple of controlled exterior dynamic shuntingxe2x80x9d of the suction portion. High energy efficiency of the new method is obtained due to the fact that it solves a few main problems:
it provides minimization of negative dominating influence of turbulence on losses of kinetic component of the applied energy in a zone of a border layer and in a nucleus of the flow of carrying medium during providing the process of transporting of an object;
it provides minimization of various components of energy losses connected with the process of transporting of the object itself by the flow of carrying medium during whole period of this process;
it provides possibility of a given multi-parameter dynamic control of the process of transporting of an object with a flow of carrying medium during its whole realization;
it provides possibility of significant reduction of integral value of energy action applied to the above mentioned flow and as a result, provides practically analogous significant reduction of consumption of the supplied energy which is converted (consumed) by the action means to the flow;
it provides possibility of dynamic consideration of characteristics (criteria) of the process of transporting of an object with the flow of carrying medium for optimization of the given multi-parameter dynamic control by executing this process with the purpose of increasing of its energy efficiency.
In keeping with these objects and with others which will become apparent hereinafter, one of the new features of the present invention resides, briefly stated, in a method of transporting of an object with a flow carrying medium, which includes the following steps:
application to the above mentioned carrying medium of an action which is created in an action means during a process of conversion of an energy applied to it so that the above mentioned flow of carrying medium created this way acts on the above mentioned object for providing the process of its transporting in a given direction; and
performing a given modulation of a value of said action in said action means, which provides a given dynamic periodic change of said value of said action on said carrying medium so that said flow of carrying medium which is dynamically created moves with a given dynamic periodically changing sign-alternating acceleration in a process of said providing the process of transporting of said object.
As the above mentioned action means, either a means of pressure drop or a means of direct energy action can be utilized. The proposed method embraces all possible spacial conditions of the transporting object. In some cases the object can be a flowable medium and in this case can perform a function of the above mentioned carrying medium. In other cases the object can be structurally not connected or: structurally connected with the action means in the process of its transporting. In certain situations the structural part of the object can perform the function of a converting element of the action means so as to provide the process of conversion of energy supplied to it and generated during forced interaction of this structural part of the object with the flowable medium.
Another important feature of the present invention is that the above mentioned given modulation of the value of the action in the action means is performed by providing a given dynamic periodic change of the value of a parameter which is dynamically connected with the process of conversion of the action means of the energy supplied to it into the action with simultaneous given change of the value of this parameter in each period of its change during the process of transporting of the object. This approach can be used both in the case of utilization of the pressure drop action means and in the case of utilization of the direct energy action means.
As the parameter of the process of conversion of the supplied energy the following can be utilized, for example: electrical, electromagnetic, magnetic, structural, technical, physical, chemical or physico-chemical parameter; or a combination of various types of these parameters can be utilized. As the energy supplied to the action means, the following energy for example can be used: electrical, electromagnetic, magnetic, mechanical, thermal energy; energy generated as a result of performing of chemical or nuclear reaction; energy generated during the operation of a physical system; energy of forced aerodynamic interaction of a structural part of the object with a gaseous medium (performing the function of the action means); energy of forced hydrodynamic interaction of the structural part of the object with liquid medium (performing the function of the action means); or it can use a combination of several types of the supplied energy.
In accordance with another feature of the present invention, the given modulation of the value of the action in the pressure drop means is performed by providing a simultaneous given dynamic periodic change in working zones of the pressure drop means, correspondingly, of a value of a negative over pressure and a value of a positive over pressure with a simultaneous their change in each period of the change of the above mentioned values of the above mentioned actions, generated in the process of conversion of the energy supplied to the pressure drop means in the work zones which are in contact with the carrying medium, so as to provide application of the generated given dynamic periodic action determined by the above mentioned values of the negative and positive over pressures during the process of transporting of the object.
The simultaneous given dynamic periodic change in the working zones of the pressure drop means, and correspondingly of the value of negative over pressure and the value of positive over pressure with simultaneous their change in each period of the change of the values of the pressures is performed by a given dynamic periodic change of the value of connection between the working zones with a simultaneous given change of the value of the connection in each its period during the process of transporting of the object.
At the same time the given dynamic periodic change of the value of connection of the working zone with the simultaneous given change of the value of the connection in each its period is performed by a given dynamic periodic generation on a portion of a border of separation between the working zone of a throughgoing passage (or several passages) with a simultaneous given change of the value of a given area of a minimal cross-section of the passage (or several passages) in each period of the generation, accompanied by performing correspondingly of a given dynamic periodic local destruction and subsequent reconstruction of the portion of the border with a simultaneous given change of the value of area of its local destruction in each period during the process of transporting of the object. The above mentioned local destruction is performed by destruction means, for example: technical, physical, chemical, physico-chemical; or is performed by a combination of several types of the destruction means. The portion of the border of separation between the working zones can be identified either structurally or spatially.
In some cases of utilization of the new method, in a process of the given dynamic periodic generation on a portion of the border of separation between the working zones of the throughgoing passage (or several passages) with simultaneous given change of the value of the given area of a minimal throughgoing cross-section of the passage (or several passages) in each period of its action, a filtration of local volume of the carrying medium which in a zone of the given throughgoing passage during the process of the transporting of the object is performed.
The above mentioned new features of the present invention reflect a new xe2x80x9cPrinciple of controlled interior dynamic shuntingxe2x80x9d of working zones of the pressure drop means.
In accordance with the important features of the present invention, in the method for performing the given modulation of the value of the action in the action means, values of its parameters are given: frequency, range and law of dynamic periodic change of the value of the action during the process of transporting of the object.
A new method makes possible a realization of one of several main variants of giving of the values of the parameters:
the given values of parameters of modulation do not change during the process of transporting;
the values of one (or several) of the given pararmeters of the modulation is or are changed in a given dependency from changes of a controlled characteristic connected with the process of transporting of the object;
values of the changing parameters of the given modulation are changed in a given dependency from changes of a combination of several types of the control characteristics connected with the process of transporting of the object.
The process provides a possibility to use as the control characteristic, without any limitation, for example as follows:
value of one of the parameters of the process of transporting of the object (energy, consumption, optimized specific consumption energy or speed parameter);
values of one of parameters of the transporting object (speed, consumption, aerodynamic, hydrodynamic, structural, physical, amplitude-frequency, chemical or geometric parameter);
values of one of parameters of spacial position of the object during the process of transporting;
values of one of parameters of a surface of a position of the object during the process of transporting (for example physico-mechanical);
values of one of parameters of the flow of the carrying medium during the process of transporting of the object (for example speed, structural, physical or chemical parameter);
values of one of parameters of a turbulent process in the flow of carrying medium during the process of transporting of the object (for example amplitude, frequency or energy parameter);
value of one of parameters of a process of conversion of energy of movement of the flow of carrying medium into another type of energy (during interaction or without interaction with an additional source of energy, which acts on the flow) during the process of transporting of the object.
The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the present invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.